Supporting device



March 21, 1933. BESCHERER 1,901,947

SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1931 FIG! INVENTOR EAEESCHERi'R Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES YORK P-AT ENT OFFICE EDWIN A. BESCHERER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED, OF NEW'YORK, 'N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW SUPPORTING DEVICE This invention comprises a supporting device for enabling a table, cabinet, or other suitable object to rest firmly and securely on an uneven surface.

It is well known that when an object such as a table or cabinet is placed upon a floor having surface inequalities due either to unevenness or to differently inclined portions of the floor, the object may become unstable and have a tendency to rock whenever pressure of any sort is brought to bear upon certain parts thereof such as may be due to the opening of a drawer or to the weight of a person leaning upon such object and causing it to become unbalanced. The unstable manner in which the cabinet or table rests upon the floor has been found to be a source of potential danger to persons working nearby inasmuch as objects lying upon the cabinet or table often become displaced by the rocking motion thereof and fall therefrom. It is not infrequent that workers search for articles of stationary which find their way underneath the swaying cabinet with a consequent danger to the fingers of the searcher.

These difficulties are overcome by the supporting device constructed in accordance with this invention.

From a general aspect this invention comprises an arrangement for a table, cabinet, or other suitable object which will insure firm contact of all points of support with an uneven surface.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 illustrates the front base portion of a table with the supporting device in place;

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the supportin device removed from the table;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the base portion of the table of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4; and 5 are detailed views of the supporting device along the lines 44 and 55 of Fig. 1, respectively, showing the manner of attachment of the device to the table.

In the drawing like numerals represent like parts.

The supporting device shown in the drawing comprises a straight metallic bar 1 pivoted to a support or metallic right-angle bracket 2 by means of a screw 3. Bracket 2 is i attached to the base portion 4 of pedestal 10 by-means of screws 8 which are inserted in holes 5 of the bracket 2. Secured to the ends of bar 1 are flat members or plates 6,6 which '55 rest on the floor as bar 1 adjusts itself to the'surface of the floor. Screws 7, 7 are provided to attach bar 1 securely to bracket 2. These screws are easily accessible from the outside of pedestal 10 for convenient adjustment and are adapted to pass through holes 9 in bar 1 which are sufficiently wide to permit any desired movement of bar 1 about its pivot 3. The two plates 6, 6 are located at two corners of the base 4 of pedes- 6'5 tal 10. At the other two corners of the base 4 of pedestal 10 are two stationary props 11, 11. These may be of any convenient size. If considered desirable screws 7, 7 may be designed for convenient grasping and turning by hand in cases where it is not desired to employ a screw-driver to tighten the The supporting device is arranged to function in the following manner. Assuming that pedestal 10 is to be placed on an uneven surface, screws 7, 7 will be loosened. Stationary props 11, 11 of pedestal 10 and flat plates 6, 6 of the supporting device will soon find themselves on the surface of the floor in po sitions wherein pedestal 10 will be level. Bar 1 will pivot on screw 3 until plates 6, 6 find themselves firmly on the uneven surface of the floor at which time screws 7, 7 will be tightened. Stationary props 11, 11 and the plates 6, 6 will thus support pedestal 10 in a firm and secure manner. In this manner the property of a three-point support to rest firmly on an uneven surface is utilized and the three points are thus transferred into four points by tightening screws 7, 7

Although the supporting device has been described as being applicable to a pedestal,

it is to be understood of course that this invention is not limited thereto but may be' furniture, said device comprising in combination a metallic right-angle bracket, one side of the bracket having a plurality of perforations therein through which securing members pass into the base of the article to be supported, the other side of the bracket having two perforations therein and one perforation intermediate the two perforations, a straight metallic bar having its ends fashioned into fiat plates suitable for resting upon the surface of a floor, two elongated perforations and one central round perforation in the bar which are aligned with the three perforations in the bracket, a pivoting member for pivotally attaching the bar to the bracket, said pivoting member passing through the central round perforation in the bar and through the intermediate perforation in the bracket, and securing members passing through the two elongated perforations in the bar and through the perforations in the bracket, said securing members being securable to the bracket to rigidly secure the bar to the bracket in adjusted position.

2. A detachable device for supporting an article of furniture, said device comprising in combination, a bracket, at least one securing member for securing the bracket to the article of furniture which is to be supported, a bar having flat plates at its ends suitable for resting upon the surface of a floor, and a pivoting member for pivotally attaching the bar to the bracket.

3. A detachable device for supporting an article of furniture, said device comprising in combination, a bracket, securing means for securing the bracket to the article of furniture which is to be supported, a bar having flat plates at its ends suitable for resting upon the surface of a floor, a pivoting member for pivotally attaching the bar to the bracket, and at least one securing member for rigidly securing the bar to the bracket in adjusted position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of July, 1931.

EDWIN A. BESCHERER. 

